College of Commissioners’ visit to Cyprus

As part of the College of Commissioners’ visit to Cyprus during the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Nikos Christodoulides, accompanied the President of the European Commission, Ms Ursula von der Leyen, on a walking tour along part of the UN-controlled buffer zone, also known as the Green Line, in Lefkosia.

Also participating in the tour were the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Constantinos Kombos, the Deputy Minister for European Affairs, Ms Marilena Raouna, the Government Spokesman, Mr Konstantinos Letymbiotis, and the Director of the Press and Information Office of the Republic of Cyprus, Ms Aliki Stylianou. 
 
The Green Line separates the areas controlled by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus from the Turkish-occupied areas of the island. Since Turkey’s invasion in July 1974, Cyprus is the only EU member state that is still divided due to foreign military occupation.  

The visit featured a guided tour of the walking photography exhibition “The Cyprus Question”, on Lidinis Street, which is located on the Green Line. The exhibition, produced by the Press and Information Office (PIO) of the Republic of Cyprus, features compelling images from the PIO photo archive that capture the tragic events which unfolded after the Turkish invasion of 1974 and their ongoing dire consequences for Cyprus and its people. 

As part of the walking tour, participants were treated to a cultural interlude performed by the Pancyprian Gymnasium Choir. The Pancyprian Gymnasium was founded in 1812, and it is the oldest high school still in operation on the island. 

On 16 January 2026, the European Commissioners will take the same tour along the Green Line and visit the “The Cyprus Question” walking photography exhibition on Lidinis Street.

Photos

See the relevant photos on the Cyprus Presidency's Flickr account.